CM reviews procurement ops, orders lifting on ‘war footing’

Chandigarh: Under fire from farmers’ groups and arhtiyas (commission agents) over tardy lifting of paddy during the ongoing procurement season, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday directed officials to lift of stocks from mandis on a war footing.
Mann chaired a meeting to review paddy procurement and directed the officials to ensure timely lifting of paddy in mandis, while asserting that anyone trying to disrupt procurement and lifting of grains would not be spared.It was pointed out that so far 24.88 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy had arrived in grain markets, of which 22.22 LMT had been procured. Mann later posted on X: “I am personally monitoring mandi operations to ensure that our farmers encounter no difficulties. Our govt is dedicated to purchasing every grain of farmers’ produce.”
On Saturday, a delegation of farm leaders and arhtiyas (commission agents) had issued a four-day ultimatum to the state govt to speed up paddy lifting operations in grain markets. They had also pointed out a shortage of gunny bags.
Rice millers in the state have been reluctant to accept paddy stocks, pointing out that stocks of foodgrains from previous years were yet to be moved out and this had created a shortage of space. They also raised objections to low out-turn ratio (OTR) of PR 126 and hybrid varieties.
An official said the CM issued instructions at the meeting that paddy should be lifted at the earliest in the state, so that farmers do not have to face any inconvenience.
Punjab Rice Industry Association president Bharat Bhushan Binta said millers in the state feared losses due to the low post-milling yield of PR-126 and hybrid varieties, and it was a key issue for them. He added millers were ready to offer their premises to state govt for keeping stocks of paddy, without entering into a formal agreement for milling.